title: Renal biopsy registry from a single centre in Serbia: 20 years of experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is not enough epidemiologic data of biopsy proven renal diseases. This is the first report of clinicopathologic correlations over a period of 20 years from central Balkan country-Serbia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of reports of 2 362 native renal biopsies performed on patients at the leading nephrology unit in Serbia from 1987 to 2006 was undertaken. Patients were divided in two groups according to age: younger (<60 years old) and older (>or=60 years old).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The annual incidence of renal biopsies increased from 3.9 p.m.p./year in 1987 to 12.5 p.m.p/year in 2006. The most common clinical syndrome as an indication for renal biopsy was nephrotic syndrome (NS) (53.6%). Membranous nephropathy was the most frequent cause of NS (21.6%). Primary glomerulonephritis (PGN) accounted for about two thirds of all performed biopsies. Non-IgA mesangioproliferative GN was the most frequent primary GN accounting for almost 25% of all PGN in our whole population, while the prevalence of IgA nephropathy was only 12%. Lupus nephritis was the most frequent secondary glomerulonephritis (75.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This report represents epidemiological overview on biopsy proven renal disease coming from one specific Balkan country, which was under economic sanctions for almost half the studied period. We are hoping that this register will be the basis for developing not only a national register but also a register that will encompass all Balkan countries.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Nephrology, Institute of Urology and Nephrology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Beograd, Serbia. rnaumovic@drenik.net
authors.forename: Radomir
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naumovic
authors.forename: Stevan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pavlovic
authors.forename: Dragisa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stojkovic
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Basta-Jovanovic
authors.forename: Vidosava
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nesic
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055771:Serbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult